hi everyone...i've been reading through some of the post and thought i'd register and ask for help.

A lot of us in our 20s have tons of obligations... school, careers, friends, boyfriends, husbands, children, pets, family and parents... With such hectic lives, i want to know how everyone sticks to their diets, exercise... healthy lives.

i have such a hard time sticking to a diet, and getting my butt to the gym. if anyone can provide tips, or motivational tricks to help me stay on track that would be great. i know i am an emotional eater... definitely binging when im stressed. and i'll admit that im sorta addicted to fast food right now. So everyone... please post these tips, tricks, what you do to avoid emotional eating. HELP! THANKS!!!!

Hi and welcome

Im not sure about everyone else, but I just woke up one day and decided that regardless of all that is going on in my life, I have to put myself as a priority. This means making time to exercise and making better food choices. I was always a late night snacker, so now for me if I feel that desire to eat at night I instead just go to bed. Its not rocket science I know, but I think the easiest way to change bad habits is to recognise them, then replace them with something else. I like to think it gets easier, 25 pounds later it seems as though it has.

And if that doesnt work - just think how much better about yourself you will feel to actually complete something you want.

Good luck

Hi Sunnnshine99!

Yeah, it's a pain trying to get to the gym, and it's much easier to just swing through a Taco Bell during lunch than plan something healthy out before. But, believe it or not, you get used to it! With enough time it just becomes a habit instead of an obligation.

Another important thing to keep in mind is that time issue: at first it seems impossible to find the time to do all the exercising and food planning and calorie or point counting. But think of this: how much time each day do you watch tv? Putter around online? Just hang around and veg out? That's all wasted time, in which something productive could have happened!

Good luck!

I try to do somthing active everyday-- even if it's not going to the gym. I'll go for a walk, or a bike ride, kick a soccer ball around at work, clean the bathroom floor. I never let myself just sit for long.

Ridding my apartment of junk food helps, too-- If it's there-- I WILL eat it (as we learned last week with a box of girlscout cookies), and packing a lunch and snacks vs. buying them helps as well-- no Taco Bell and chips-- salads and nuts for me !

PERFECT! This is exactly right. If you use the excuse of "I'm too busy" or "life is too hectic" at this age, you'll use it forever. You'll move on and finish school and say that work is too busy, you'll get married and say you're too busy keeping up your home, you'll have kids and say you're too busy taking care of them...once "busy" becomes an excuse, it will never go away.

Not to say we're NOT truly busy--of course we are! I have had weeks where I've worked 60+ hours in the office only to come home and have to do "just a little more" work on my laptop at home, then go visit my sister 200 miles away on the weekend, clean my apartment, keep in touch with my mother, keep my boy in line, pay the bills, go grocery shopping...we all know that the list goes on and on.

You can't think of it as trying to squeeze something additional (cooking/planning/exercise) into your life--you have to make it a priority.

It IS tough! I've got a hubby, grad classes, working 40+ hours a week, pets, a house, in-laws...ahhh!!!! So I knew, in order for me to really stick to it, it had to be convenient. I didn't have much free time in my life so my plan had to work around me... not me changing my life to do a plan.

I chose a gym that is 2 minutes away from my work, and I go there over my lunch hour. I don't do any type of "diet" per say, except count calories. That means that if I want to have some M&M's later on in the day, I make sure I allow appropriate calories for it in my plan. When I have some free time (DH has grad classes until 7 p.m. Mon & Wed nights), I get in an extra workout then, at home. And I take 10 minutes the night before to prepare breakfasts and lunches so I don't get caught without something to eat the next day. The reason I kept gaining weight before is that I was a poor planner. I never thought about breakfast or lunch so it was often just a fattening coffee drink from starbucks or lunch out with coworkers or friends.

Other than that, it's just a few simple choices: whole grain/brown rice, less processed sugar (though I eat chocolate every day... I just can't do without it!), no sodas/juices, etc. Usually at least one day (Saturday!) I eat off plan. I try not to go overboard but I let myself have whatever I feel like having on the menu without feeling bad about it.

Jillybean is right when she talks about the concept of "busy." I took last semester off from grad school to plan my wedding/get married (we got married during finals week haha), and I thought "oh! I'll have so much time! I can really eat right and exercise and drop a few pounds before the wedding!" But I found excuse after excuse and I only ended up gaining weight instead of losing. I was too tired. We had too much wedding planning to do. Too many obligations to family. Moving. Remodeling. And the list goes on... now that I'm back in school I have just as much if not less free time than before, and I have finally found something that *works*. But the trick is, truly, I believe finding something that you don't feel like you have to overhaul your life for. Every time I tried a diet that told me what exactly to eat, when to eat it, how small or how big it should be, I got frustrated and gave up after a week or so. Some people can live a structured life like that but I didn't want my diet to rule ME. I wanted it to simply be a part of my lifestyle that seemed natural.

This is the longest I've stuck with a diet (4 weeks) and felt great!

I have never been a fan of working out. In fact, I have always hated it. One of the things I always wanted since I was a teenager was to have a really hot bod. I have always felt fatter than all my friends, and have always been insecure about my weight.

Last year I turned 25, and in May I joined a small women-only gym a few minutes from my work, and forced myself to go at 3-5 days a week for at least an hour per time. I did both cardio and circuit training, and once I started seeing results, I was hooked! It's amazing how someone who once HATED working out is now doing it as often as possible. I think once you start working out and really force yourself to stick with a regimen, you will be so happy with the way you feel and look that you won't want to give up.

I mirror LeeLee & Jilly's sentiments about putting time aside for yourself, from your teens till your golden years -- there will be a neverending barrage of interruptions & interferences & priorities & deadlines. You've only got one body--how can that NOT be a priority?

It's important to make some time out for yourself - whether in making healthier meals or in exercise.

i agree with everyone here and the biggest thing is working it into your daily routine.

Lots of great comments here! Well, today I decided that I am going to do Pilates at home. (I was watching an informercial that made me decide on it lol) I've already got the stuff ordered and I can spare 20min to an hour of my evening time to do it. With me, the time has really always been there..the will to do it wasn't.

I think the best thing is finding a friend or coworker, someone who has the same schedule as you and motivating each other. That way you can kick each other into gear when one of you doesn't want to go. That way, you can hang out with someone you would enjoy anyway, but you both get into shape and feel good instead of spending money or going out for drinks...at our age socializing is important and having to drag your butt to the gym or running or whatever cuts into our Tv watching, wine drinking, facebook addicted selves. So, turn that time into workout time.
So far it's working for me.

Hi!!
I'm new too! I have the same problem you do! I just plan on making myself lift weights every other day, and doing at least 30 mins of cardio every single day...even if it's just walking. I also plan on eating 2,000 calories for 2 weeks, then 1,900 for 2 weeks, 1,800 for 2 weeks...etc etc. Until I get used to about 1600. Then I'll probably start calorie cycling.
Motivation...SUMMER!!!!! Doesn't make you want to kick yourself for not starting earlier!?

I look at my exercise as a reward now. I have to get the dishes done for me to "allow" myself to go for a walk. I love to walk. I love clean fresh air. I am not a fast walker, but I just see it as a very serene, relaxing time for me.